http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/2176356 Reebok man Yao Ming is changing his size 18 shoes. As reported last month in the Chronicle, Reebok International Ltd. has signed the Rockets' 7-6 center to a multiyear marketing deal after Yao's endorsement contract with Nike expired. Yao will help market Reebok in his native China through print and television ads, promotional appearances and with his signature collection of athletic footwear and apparel, the Canton-based sneaker maker announced Thursday. Reebok, which posted its strongest earnings quarter in six years Thursday, hopes Yao's popularity in China will help it earn a 20 percent market share, an estimated $300 million, by 2008. In June, Reebok and the NBA announced a pan-Asian partnership to develop and market NBA apparel and accessories. "We now have several extraordinarily powerful assets in global performance basketball," chairman and CEO Paul Fireman said. "And the addition of Yao gives us incredible traction in China, a critical market with great potential for our brand." The company did not release details of the deal. Trade talk The Rockets found themselves caught in a trade rumor Thursday when a Boston radio station reported that a deal -- sending Cuttino Mobley, Bostjan Nachbar and Eddie Griffin to the Celtics for Eric Williams and Tony Battie -- was imminent. Rockets general manager Carroll Dawson denied such a deal was in the works or had been discussed. But when asjed about this week's Antoine Walker trade, Mobley, in an odd bit of coincidence and timing, talked about the uncertainty in the NBA and the possibility of being traded. "One minute a player is your teammate. The next minute he's not," Mobley said. "You kind of grow together. Sometimes you do everything right and you still get traded. (Scottie) Pippen and them were not untouchable, and (Michael) Jordan, so of course we're not. Eddie Jones, I mean all types of great players, Gary Payton, Ray Allen. What is to be is to be. You can't take it personal. "It doesn't worry me. You want to build a relationship with the staff and the owners. You have to realize certain situations. Do you give your heart, your all to people when the next day they might trade you? Or do you give them that mirror? It's scary. "If it happens, I can't do anything about it. Any of us." Three players cut The Rockets reduced their roster to 15 on Thursday, waiving forward Nnadubem "Gabe" Muoneke, guard Alex Scales and center Anthony "Pig" Miller. The moves mean guard Mike Wilks and forwards Torraye Braggs and Ben Davis (recovering from knee surgery) -- who went to camp with non-guaranteed contracts -- survived a key cut deadline. The Rockets have until 5 p.m. Friday to assign 12 active roster spots with three players on the injured list. "I was just hoping nobody called my name and said coach needs to see me," Wilks said. "I saw coach. He didn't say anything. I thought, `Maybe I'm all right.' "To be here is a great feeling. All the hard work paid off so far. I've been out of school going on my third year now so I'm used to the uncertainty of this business. I just tell myself every day, just come out, work as hard as I can. I have a dream. So far, so good." For Braggs, Friday was even more of a breakthrough because this is the first time he has made an NBA roster. "I'm still here," he said. "It's definitely a blessing indeed. It's just part of the job. I'm just going to do what I do every day: play hard." Braggs is the Rockets' only rookie and is subject to the usual rookie duties alone. "It's better than the alternative," he said. "I'd much rather be here than overseas. At least my family will get to see me do all the doughnuts and all that." Wilks played last season with the Hawks and Timberwolves. The Rockets brought him in expecting he would make the team, but also that he would improve his suspect shooting. "I believe in keeping three point guards," coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "I like his (Wilks') work habits. He's never shot well in the NBA, but I keep thinking that he should. He didn't shoot well last year. He hasn't shot well this preseason. I think he could be a good shooter." Tough on coach Jeff Van Gundy described Thursday's cuts as especially difficult because he said he considered each of the players released to be NBA caliber. Nnadubem "Gabe" Muoneke and Alex Scales each led the Rockets in scoring in one preseason game. Anthony "Pig" Miller, an NBA veteran, had been with the team for less than a week. "All three guys could be in the NBA," Van Gundy said. "I liked them all very much. They worked hard. Alex and Gabe in particular had been here since Sept. 8. So that's real hard. And Pig's a professional. You hate to see someone like that go. It's not a great day to be a head coach."
eh.... Pig knew his contract was short-term and he probably wouldn't make the team. He did a fince job and made his money. -- droxford
